Choosing the Right Method of Note-Taking: A Complete Guide for Student Success

By SOS4Students

Note-taking is crucial for student success, yet guided instruction with constructive feedback is rarely taught. At SOS4Students, we understand how note taking and academic success go hand-and-hand. With so many different note taking styles available, how do students know which method will work best for them? This comprehensive guide explores everything from why note-taking matters to choosing the right methods and tools for maximum success.

Why Note-Taking is Essential for Every Student

Whenever a new strategy is introduced, students need to know the “WHY.” Why is this skill important? How will it benefit me? How will things become easier if I develop this skill? Answering these questions begins the process of student buy-in.

The Biggest Lies Students Tell Themselves to Avoid Note Taking

“I will remember that.” One of the most helpful realizations students can have is learning to challenge that voice in their head that says, “I will remember that.” It’s often a difficult truth to come to terms with, but the reality is: “No, I won’t remember this.”

Students need to be reminded that it’s through no fault of their own that they have difficulties just remembering. In fact, most people, whether they are neurotypical or neurodiverse, just don’t remember the lectures they attend, videos they watch, or information they read.

“I don’t need to write that down.” After you accept that you will not be able to keep all important information in your head, the second lie becomes much easier to tackle. The reality is, “Yes, you DO need to write that down.”

The most useful skill a student with executive function difficulties will gain is the ability to write down important information, and to keep that information in a place that is easily accessible. Once this skill is mastered, everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, becomes so much easier.

The Science-Backed Benefits of Taking Notes

Research consistently shows that note-taking provides numerous advantages:

• Focus—Notes keep students focused in classes that they would normally “check out” in. Not all of us are riveted by the French Revolution, yet there the teacher goes, talking non-stop about dates, people… and we’re gone. If staying focused is difficult for your student, notes are a game changer.
• Recall—Multiple studies have concluded that when taking in information, we are more likely to recall that information at a later date if we write it down. The act of writing down information, even if we never look at what we wrote again, moves those details from our short-term to our long-term memory.
• Improved Test Scores—Notes, when done properly, become perfect study materials. The most successful students have mastered the art of taking effective notes in ways that help them study.
• The Habit of a Successful Person—The ability to store and recall useful information is the cornerstone of any successful person. It is a habit that separates the good from great. Nurturing this habit at a young age sets students up for success as adults.

Note taking is an essential skill for research, reading comprehension, preparation for essays and tests, and long term memory storage. Explicit instruction on note taking improves the quality of notes and the amount of information students remember.

Choosing Your Note-Taking Method

Finding the right strategies to stay organized and retain information is crucial. The right note-taking method depends on lecture style and learning preferences.

The Cornell Method

Why It Works: Perfect for lectures with a lot of information and concepts, the Cornell method allows for review and engagement with notes easily. It’s a great method for active recall, encouraging critical thinking about the material.

How To Do It: Start by dividing the page into two columns: the right side for notes, and the left side for cues or keywords. After class, summarize the key ideas at the bottom of the page.

The Outline Method

Why It Works: If a lecture is already structured, the outline method might be a go-to. This method makes it easy to see relationships between ideas and is a great way to keep notes visually organized.

How To Do It: Begin with the main topic and indent for subpoints and details. Just be sure the lecture pace allows time to think about structure while writing.

The Mapping Method

Why It Works: Enjoy visuals? The mapping method connects ideas in a way that shows relationships between topics. This technique is especially useful for complex information and helps users see the “big picture” at a glance.

How To Do It: Start with a main idea and branch outwards with subtopics. Include information that supports each subtopic.

The Charting Method

Why It Works: For lectures heavy in facts or comparisons, the charting method is a time-saver. It’s particularly helpful for quickly reviewing large amounts of data.

How To Do It: Set up columns based on categories expected to be covered and fill in as the lecture progresses.

Building Your Note-Taking Toolbox

Having the right tool for the job can make a tedious task a breeze. The same is true for note-taking. With the right tools, students can use their notes more effectively and may make them more likely to take them.

Writing Utensils That Make a Difference

For Better Handwriting:

• Weighted Pens—Often, bad handwriting is attributed to students writing too fast. Try a writing utensil with some weight to it.
• Rulers—Having a ruler either above or below where students take their notes can help them stay in bounds, which improves handwriting.

For Better Organization:

• Color Coding—Color pens and highlighters are great for note taking, especially if you have a visually stimulated child. Create a legend:
  • Red = Dates
  • Blue = People
  • Green = Events

Note: Highlights should be used to color code notes, not as the primary way to take notes.

For Staying Organized:

• Quality Pen/Pencil Case—Get a case with compartments so everything is easy to find and access. Students should not need to dig through stuffed bags to find what they need.

PRO TIP: If you turn the note-taking experience into a creative task, your student will not only more easily activate the task but will retain more of the information given.

Paper Organization Systems

Accordion Folders—These folders are an excellent way to keep track of notes. If students keep one for each class, they can separate their mountains of notes into easy-to-access sections.

Cornell Paper—For students using the Cornell method, Cornell paper makes the whole process easier. It separates the sections ahead of time, so all students need to do is pull out their notebooks and start.

5-Subject Notebook—If your student is extra resistant to the tools listed above, we recommend a 5-Subject Notebook. While students will still run into organizational issues putting all their notes in one place, these notebooks can be a good starting point.

PRO TIP: Regardless of organizational method, notes should be labeled with the section of book/course material they correspond to. Teachers will often label the sections they are reading by numbers or subject matter. Students need to make sure each section matches the teacher’s label.

Technology Tools (Use Wisely)

Used wisely, technology can be a great tool for storing and organizing information. However, tech can also be a distraction. If you find your student ventures away from academic tools into games or social media, stick with analog methods.

Google Docs—This free web-based application is often the preferred platform of schools. It’s great for composing and storing notes that can be accessed online practically anywhere or printed out for studying.

• Document Titles: All files need titles that correctly identify the assignment, topic, or book/course material they relate to.
• Folders: Create a folder for the semester and then additional folders within it for each subject.

Voice Recorders—Using a voice recorder to take notes may require teacher permission (or can be an accommodation in an IEP or 504 plan). Voice recording devices can help students revisit specific lectures to gather information they may have missed.

AI-Powered Tools:

• Speechify reads anything in a human voice, ranging from generic human voices to well-known voices like Mr. Beast or Snoop Dogg. The app can even read words aloud from pictures.
• Otter AI listens to a conversation/lecture and takes notes automatically. This works well in conjunction with traditional pen and paper note-taking. After a lecture, students can compare their notes to Otter AI’s notes and see if they missed something.

Using Your Notes Effectively

“But I don’t even use my notes to study!” This is a common complaint from our “note-resistant” students, who feel note-taking is pointless because they will just use their textbooks or Google to study anyway. Teaching students to use notes effectively can eliminate the need for textbook reviews and aimless googling.

The Power of Paraphrase

Activating the creative side of the brain when reviewing notes helps students retain information exponentially better than simply reading and rereading.

Using Their Voice: Encourage students to take their initial notes and paraphrase the points using their own vernacular. For example, if I (an aging millennial) were to paraphrase the key points in the opening scene of Romeo and Juliet, it might go something like this:

• “The Capulets and Montagues are beefing so hard it’s spilling out onto the streets of Verona, putting folks in danger”

Let students use their own creativity when going over their material. Not only will it help them keep the information in the long-term part of their brain, but it keeps the activity fun and engaging.

Strategic Review Timing

Reviewing notes, especially in high school, is a must. While timing depends on the size and content of an upcoming test, there are some tried and true strategies students can follow:

• 24 Hours—The science shows that reviewing notes within 24 hours of taking them helps with retention.
• Weekly—A weekly review of the material that has already been gone over can really boost performance on tests.
• 5-Day Streak—Setting aside 20 to 40 minutes each day, depending on the course, to review material for five consecutive days before a test has proven to be an effective strategy.
• Day Before/Morning Before—Review material in depth the day before a test, then do a brief overview on the morning of the test.

Additional Study Strategies

• Just Ask—If students are unsure what is going to be on a test, they should simply ASK their teacher. If classes run long or teachers are “prickly,” students can visit during office hours or send a polite email.
• Practice Tests—Students can reverse-engineer problems to create their own tests, which activates creativity and mastery in ways a generic practice test could not. Students can also take pictures of their notes, upload them to ChatGPT, and prompt it with “Make a practice test out of these notes.”
• Do What Works—We all learn in different ways. If traditional methods of test prep are not yielding the right results, students shouldn’t be afraid to mix it up: use study groups, incorporate movement, or try different approaches.
• Review Old Tests—Students can politely ask to review previous tests during office hours. Identifying challenging material on older tests can help students better prepare for future tests.

8 Essential Note-Taking Tips for Success

Here are easy note taking tips designed to help students use their notes more effectively for studying, test preparation, and papers:

1. Always take notes in classes or meetings with teachers. Don’t take notes only when asked or graded. Don’t try to remember everything.
2. Put material in your own words. Be concise. This is active learning, not passive copying.
3. Avoid highlighting only without annotations. Research shows highlighting is an ineffective way to remember material.
4. Review notes within 24 hours of writing them. Circle or underline what isn’t clear. Jot down questions in the margins. Box key words or put them in the margins.
5. Test yourself using your notes. Turn key concepts into test-like questions.
6. Handwrite your notes. With typing, we tend to write too much. It’s also easier to add in charts and diagrams by hand.
7. Check your notes with your instructor. Ask if your notes capture what the teacher considers essential.
8. If you miss a class, get a copy of any notes you missed. Review with a friend as soon as possible!

Getting Student Buy-In

Now that you understand the benefits, how do we get students to buy in?

• Show them the benefits—Go through the reasons and advantages above with them.
• Personalize the approach—Finding a note taking method that fits your student’s learning style is crucial to getting them to start and continue taking notes.
• Make it active—Emphasize that taking notes is not just writing down everything that is said. It’s an active part of learning. Encourage students to write down questions, relate information to what they already know, and make connections to other subjects.
• Start small—Encourage students who have never taken notes to start small. Set small attainable and trackable goals that can later be translated into larger ones.
• Relate to goals—Show how taking notes is essential and makes it easier to obtain their long and short-term goals.
• Attach rewards—If your student is especially resistant, attach a reward to it. Rewards are only effective when they are consistent, specific, and non-negotiable.

Finding Your Perfect Fit

Have your teen experiment with different techniques to see which helps them stay organized and retain the most information. Once they find their fit, they’ll be on their way to mastering note-taking this school year!

Remember: Note taking is an important skill that you want your child to develop. As with any new skill, developing and maintaining good note-taking habits can be difficult. Avoid conflicts with your student around note-taking, try to make it fun, and shower your student with verbal praise.

PRO TIP: Just because a tool doesn’t make sense to you, don’t dismiss it outright. We all learn in different ways. If your student believes that an impractical twirly pencil will actually encourage note taking in class, let them try it out!

Final Thoughts

Through years of working with students who struggle with executive function challenges, we’ve seen firsthand how transformative effective note-taking can be. It bridges gaps that students often feel exist between them and their peers. While it can be a difficult strategy to kickstart, nothing beats the feeling of turning a perceived weakness into a strength. It’s a battle worth fighting, and SOS4Students is here to help every step of the way.